


Home

by Laramie



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 05:18:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18732382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laramie/pseuds/Laramie
Summary: Aaron's had a REALLY long day and all he wants is to go to sleep next to Robert. Robert has missed his husband and all he wants is to make him happy.





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> This has nothing to do with me being a tired gay who would like a boyfriend to snuggle with. NOTHING AT ALL. NOPE.
> 
> Set vaguely after their second wedding some time, but I've only seen up to March 2018 so far so forgive me any canon errors that may exist (though I can't see there being any, really).

When Aaron finally got back to the Mill, he was almost grey with exhaustion. By some sequence of events that Robert wasn't entirely sure of, Aaron had ended up taking a lorry of something-or-other to Belgium for Home Farm Haulage. Aaron didn't tend to sleep well when out of his own bed anyway, and he had got up  _ ludicrously _ early that morning to drive from Belgium to the ferry and from there all the way back to Yorkshire. Back to Robert.

As soon as Aaron came inside, he went straight to Robert on the sofa and sank down next to him, leaning his head on Robert's shoulder.

"Hello," Robert said, pleased. He gave Aaron a bit of a prod so that he would move enough to let Robert lift his left arm and wrap it around Aaron's shoulders.

"'ello," Aaron said sleepily. "I'm  _ so  _ tired."

"Go to bed, then." Robert's hand lifted and scritched the hair on the side of Aaron's head.

Aaron grunted noncommittally and rubbed his cheek against Robert. "S'only seven o'clock."

Robert smiled as he realised that his husband didn't want to go up on his own. He shifted his head to kiss Aaron's temple. "Go to bed," he said again. "And I'll make us some tea and come with you, okay?"

Aaron gave a lopsided smile, clearly realising that he had been caught out. "Alright."

Robert went over to the kitchen and flicked the kettle on, assembling everything he needed from the cupboards above. When he turned to get the milk, he realised Aaron was standing nearby, watching with his arms folded. "Oi, bed!" he insisted teasingly.

Aaron stuck his tongue out and came over for a quick kiss before turning to make his way upstairs; Robert watched him spiralling upwards.

Robert added three sugars to Aaron's mug, thinking that he would probably want something sweet. When he carried them upstairs, Aaron was lying on his side with the top hand stretching onto Robert's side of the bed. It was probably an accident, but it still made Robert's heart constrict. It may have only been two nights that Aaron was away, but it felt  _ so good _ to have him back again.

Robert climbed onto the bed and waited for Aaron to shuffle up a bit so that he could take his mug and drink without spilling it. He curled against Robert's side as he sipped. Robert knew Aaron probably wouldn't say the words, but everything about him screamed 'I missed you'.

"How about a back rub?" Robert suggested once he had taken Aaron's empty mug and put it on the bedside table. He loved taking care of Aaron just as much as he loved being taken care of  _ by _ Aaron, and just as much as he loved the way they challenged each other, the way they were inspired to be better by the other.

Aaron made a wordless, enthusiastic noise in response to Robert's offer, and quickly turned onto his front with his face tipped away from Robert. Robert retrieved the bottle of massage oil from the drawer (he liked massages, okay, both giving and receiving - any excuse to touch Aaron - and he took them seriously).

"Take your top off," Robert said as he squeezed oil onto his palm and rubbed his hands together.

Aaron did so, clumsily, dropping it off the side of the bed and coming to rest with his face turned in the other direction so that Robert could see the lift at the corners of his mouth. His eyes were closed. Robert's chest went tight with affection; he took a deep breath and sighed it out, laying his hands on Aaron's back and beginning to stroke him before saying softly: "Love you, Mr Sugden."

"Love you, Mr Dingle," Aaron slurred.

Robert continued to touch him gently, not trying to give a deep massage, just sharing comfort.

"We're not heading for sex here, right?" he checked, pleased when the blush that he had known would come began to stain Aaron's cheek.

"You're a pest, and I'm exhausted," he said, but he was smiling, still without opening his eyes. "Make me breakfast in bed tomorrow and we can do it then."

"Promise?"

The smile widened into a grin. "Promise."

"I'll stay with you 'til you fall asleep, then go downstairs for a bit, okay?"

"Mm..."

He was clearly drifting off now, so Robert said nothing else, just showed his love through his hands until Aaron's breathing changed and his face smoothed out. For a little while longer, he laid down next to his husband, doing nonsense on his phone, before leaving him to rest while he made himself some food.

\--

Aaron woke at one in the morning feeling groggy and confused and desperate for the loo. He also was not quite sure whether he was hungry or nauseous. Either way, he went to relieve himself, and when he got back he noticed that there was a slightly crispy jam sandwich waiting for him on his bedside table, next to a Thermos flask and a cereal bar. Aaron smiled at Robert's sleeping form, touched by the thought, then got back under the duvet to eat his midnight snack. All the time he was eating it, he was filling up with love for Robert, the man who always looked out for him.

Feeling a lot better after the food, Aaron cuddled up to Robert again, who shifted to accommodate this so that Aaron could tuck in against his back. Robert was perfect sometimes, honestly. "Marry me," Aaron said quietly.

"I already have, you lunatic," Robert returned sleepily. "Twice."

Aaron grinned, and gradually drifted off to sleep again, full of blissful images of the next morning.

It was good to be home.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this self-indulgent little ficlet :)


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